I am Kaitlyn Patrick, an MFA candidate in Costume Design in University of Hawai’i, Mānoa’s department of Theater and Dance. Ever since childhood I have been fascinated by Asian cultures, with a particular interested in Japan. In college I was finally able to fulfill my life-long dream of studying Japanese language beginning in my sophomore year, and of visiting Japan with a 9-month study abroad trip in my senior year. I currently hold a BA in Asian Studies from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and also continue to practice my Japanese language skills as much as I can. I have had four years of formal language education, and would gauge my current level of proficiency as intermediate.

One of the things that interested me most about UHM when I was applying to graduate programs is the extensive Asian theater program, the likes of which I could not find anywhere else. In my relatively brief time here I have had numerous amazing opportunities to engage with various forms of Asian theater productions, techniques and theory through classes and also working with experts, practicing professionals, and fellow students in Jingju, Wayang Listrik, most recently, Kyogen. I count myself very fortunate to be at school here during the Japanese theater year in our rotation, and would like to take full advantage of that opportunity.

During the fall semester next year I plan to be involved with the rehearsal and production process of Kennedy Theater’s Kyogen production with the ultimate goal of being able to perform in the show next spring. I have already started my training with an introductory course to Kyogen acting conventions in the 2016 Spring semester, and hope to continue my training throughout next semester by auditing the Kyogen voice class that will be offered then as well. Receiving this award will help me to manage school and living expenses as I pursue my study and practice of Kyogen acting, particularly in the spring semester when I will need to give up my graduate assistantship position from which I have been receiving a stipend and full tuition waiver.

Following my graduation next spring, I am planning to travel to Japan again to work with Oguri Sachie, the owner and creator of the Mino Kabuki Museum where I would be learning about the history, preservation and reconstruction of traditional Kabuki costumes. This unique opportunity would provide me with invaluable experience in a specialized field and help me form connections with a passionate community of people who are interested in the preservation and sharing of this traditional art form. With this experience, I would be an asset to any theater, university, museum or other institution which has or wants to create a program, exhibit or performance incorporating traditional Japanese theater, including right here at UHM where we have our own stock of Kabuki costumes in need of repair and organization. Receiving the Society of Asian Art of Hawai’i scholarship next year would not only help facilitate my study of Japanese theater while still in school, but also help me to save money for an experience that I believe will help me launch an exciting career in the study and preservation of traditional Japanese theater.

II. The Society of Asian Art of Hawai’i Scholarship:

Mr. Baixin Chen, BFA student at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, focusing in Sculpture

Course to study: Art of China, Intermediate Mandarin

Baixin Writes:

I am a Bachelor of Fine Arts student in the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Department of Art and Art History. I am currently a senior and I plan to graduate in the Spring of 2017. My area of concentration is in Sculpture, utilizing bronze and mixed media. Being an Asian American who immigrated to the United States from China, I feel that I have missed out on not only precious experiences with my native culture, but also experiences with the education of Asia.

Ironically, my interest resides in Asia related Art because it is something that is completely foreign to me. As an artist, I believe that in order for one to understand a foreign culture, one must be exposed to its culture and arts first. Some of my current artwork utilizes many Asian themes and styles learned from previous Art History courses. Furthermore, many of the future projects and assignments that I want to pursue will have Asian themes. Because of this, I feel that it is necessary to be educatedon the art and culture mentioned above before pursuing my goals. Most importantly, your award will lighten my financial burden so that I may focus on learning, which is the most important aspect of education.

Shortly after I earn my BFA degree, I will pursue a career in product design. My area of concentration in my career will be in research and prototyping. This area of work will allow me to connect with small and large organizations local and international. Lately, I’ve been working with 3D printing and scanning technologies as ways to reproduce andpreserve images of objects associated with different cultures from around the world. For example, with 3D printing technology along with the permission of museums from around the world, I will be able to 3D print historical objects from digital files that are available from museums. I believe this form of cutting edge technology can be a useful tool in opening new and interesting opportunities in not only the field of art, but in the area of education and economics as well.

Moreover, for my future endeavors, I plan on applying for graduate school, working in tandem with my career. During my past semesters, I have studied up to intermediate Mandarin Chinese as my second language requirement (Chinese 101 to 201). My first spoken language is Cantonese, a dialect of the Chinese language that is most prevalent in Southern China and Hong Kong. During my time in the Chinese language classes, I was taught Chinese characters that proved to be useful for the Chinese Art History class I took during the Spring 2016 semester. Learning the Chinese characters allowed me to understand the descriptions and poetries often written in Chinese ink paintings.

THE 2015-16 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

The Society of Asian Art of Hawai’i, Inc. is pleased to announce that $2,500 has been awarded to each of the following two recipients: